Maoists kill 21 jawans in West Bengal

Posted by ajadhind on February 19, 2010

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BELPAHARI (WEST MIDNAPORE): Scores of Maoists ambushed security forces in Silda (just 30km from Midnapore town) on Monday, killing 21 Eastern Frontier Rifle (EFR) jawans and abducting many injured soldiers, in the most devastating and daring Naxal attack in Bengal so far. The camp, located in the middle of a busy market place, was completely gutted.

Clad in tracksuits and preparing dinner, around 50 EFR men were caught completely off guard when 60 to 70 Maoists began firing from automatic rifles. The jawans were boxed in by the five-foot walls and barbed wire fence of their camp as the guerrillas opened fire from all sides.

Maoist leader Kishanji claimed responsibility for the attack almost immediately after it took place. “This is our Operation Peace Hunt against their Operation Green Hunt,” Kishanji told TOI. “This is our reply to Chidambaram and Buddhadeb. Steer clear of the jungles of Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand.”

According to sources, scores of members of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the most dreaded of Maoist forces in Jharkhand, had slipped into Bengal two days prior to the attack.

Incidentally, it hasn’t even been a week since Union home minister P Chidambaram, in Kolkata, announced a four-state crackdown on Maoists during a meeting with chief ministers of Naxal-hit states.

The EFR camp is inside a public health centre near the crowded Silda bazaar. It’s possible that EFR authorities did not apprehend a Maoist attack in an area bustling with civilians. But the crowd cover worked for the Maoists, who went unnoticed as they started gathering in the market in threes and fives in the afternoon.

Cut off by the boundary wall, the jawans had no inkling of what was happening outside. By 5pm, the guerrillas had completely surrounded the camp and taken the high ground. The jawans were sitting ducks. They were lounging around or rolling out dough for chapatis when the Maoists began firing from their Insas and AK-47 rifles.

The firing was so heavy that it set the jawans’ tent ablaze. Some of them were burnt alive. Others tried to escape but were caught in the barbed wire. The Maoists dumped some of the injured personnel in the back of a pick-up van and sped away. They also looted 20 rifles from the camp.

The operation lasted barely 30 minutes, said Hiren Mahato, an eyewitness. Rakesh Lepcha, a cook at the camp, said: “I saw four of our men being burnt alive. Another two were shot dead in front of my eyes.”

There was no help for the injured and the traumatized survivors till 7.30pm, although Jhargram is a short drive away. Reinforcements dared not move from any of the nearby camps. “We had specific information that landlines and IEDs had been planted on the approach roads,” said a police officer.

In fact, the Silda ambush was foretold by PCPA leader Asit Mahato. “There will be an assault within 24 hours,” he had threatened on Sunday. “The police made a terrible mistake by raiding my house at Bhulageria and attacking my ailing mother,” he said.

3 Responses to “Maoists kill 21 jawans in West Bengal”

hi
this is not unknown. it will happen again and again because in this country some handful of men united in the name of system like pseudo democracy and covered 80% wealth by 20 % people. 80% pwople r deprived for pure water and a piece of bread. this is democracy.crimina;s r enjoying this fake democracy and poors r being prey of landlords. what will do? these deprived people have no option. it will increased more and more in future till the colapse of this inhuman system

Vishalsaid

hey,
Yeah…. this is not unknown and we know this will happen again and again till that happens that both you; pseudo government people and government people dare to think not in your dreams.
As you say; 80% people cover 20% of wealth; yes that is wrong… i know but just think what u people are doing… you are just decreasing this ratio by decreasing that 80% deprived population. Tell me of a single deserving person whom you have killed, who belonged to those 20%. All you kill is jawans, police, and government official those belong to lower middle class or poor class because those with money simply don’t gets transferred over there. And tell me how many of you deserving to die has died yet… no all those dead are the poorest people from village whom police and army kills in thine name. Look at the bigger picture the only people dying in this whole nautanki are my people, poor people, deprived people. If criminals are enjoying democracy; who are you who take food of those poor people; are you people are good samartians; no dear you are just another facets of those criminals.
Yes you are right we have got no solutions… no options… but to wait in patience to be killed either by your devil hands or police and army. The only thing that i can say is god save your wretched soul and give you people wisdom to fight in right way. Or just wait till that happens that should not….